Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Magic Tree House Space Mission
2024-01-06 10:30 - 11:30, 2023-12-16 10:30 - 11:30, 2023-12-09 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)

Carolina Skies
2024-01-05 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-16 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-15 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-09 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-08 16:30 - 17:30

Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
2024-01-05 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-15 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-08 15:00 - 16:00

Starry Nights
2023-12-20 19:00 - 20:30

One Sky, Many Eyes
2023-12-17 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-10 16:30 - 17:30, 2023-12-03 16:30 - 17:30

The Longest Night: A Winter's Tale
2023-12-17 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-16 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-10 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-09 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-03 15:00 - 16:00

We Are Stars
2023-12-17 13:30 - 14:30, 2023-12-10 13:30 - 14:30

Forward! To the Moon
2023-12-16 13:30 - 14:30, 2023-12-09 13:30 - 14:30

Take Flight
2023-12-16 12:00 - 13:00

Genetics & Microbiology | December Teen Science Cafe
2023-12-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Science Stage, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium on Friday, December 15th for a very exciting Teen Science Cafe! We will be joined by Dr. Jack Keene, who has a long-term interest in the structure and function of viral and mammalian genomes. Having determined the first genomic sequences for rabies, Ebola, Marburg and vesicular stomatitis virus, and discerned the origins of defective interfering viruses, interests shifted to the cloning of six human genes involved in autoimmune reactivity. During this event we will be exploring studies with viruses, autoimmunity, and regulation of mRNAs.

The western doors up the big stairs will open at 5:30 for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:00 and wrap up around 7:00.

About Dr. Keene

Jack D. Keene is a James B. Duke Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University where he studies the regulation of RNA and the mechanisms of RNA-protein interactions. His work includes many accolades isolating the first human autoimmune antigen.

Jack’s father was a schoolteacher in mathematics who was one of the first to use computers for the military. His family moved to 10 different locations where he worked for the Air Force to set up computers. Thus, Jack became a scientist at 9 years old because he got to see so many interesting things with his father. Biology became his love at the University of California and University of Washington and trained at the NIH for 4 years and then became a faculty member of Duke University in 1979.

Program Schedule

5:30 pm – Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Pizza social. Pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Discussion & activities. Presentations will take place at the Science Stage located on the 1st floor.

*Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Skywatching at Little River Regional Park
2023-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Little River Regional Park, 301 Little River Park Way, Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572, United States
Join us from 8 to 10 p.m. at Little River Regional Park on December 13! With the guidance of a Morehead educator and members of Chapel Hill Astronomy and Observing Society (CHAOS), you’ll have the chance to view the sky via telescope, engage in hands-on astronomy activities, and take a laser-guided “star tour” of the night sky. There may also be an opportunity to see meteors from the Geminid meteor shower.

When joining us at this free event, we ask that you leave pets at home and, if you plan to hang out, bring chairs or blankets. Please note that weather can affect this event. Stay up-to-date via social media.

Find additional resources and FAQs on our Stargazing page.

Star Families: Meteors
2023-12-09 12:00 - 13:00

Noche de Estrellas | Stargazing Night at Peach Road
2023-12-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Peach Road Cultural Center, 911 Ileagnes Rd, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603, United States
El viernes 8 de diciembre te invitamos a explorar el cielo nocturno con Noche de Estrellas, en colaboración con el Consulado de México en Raleigh, Morehead Planetarium Science Center, Red Global MX, Sigma XI, el Ayuntamiento de Raleigh, el Club de Astronomía de Raleigh y el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Carolina del Norte.

Esta noche contará con recorridos estelares con expertos bilingües en astronomía, además de chocolate caliente y actividades científicas en el interior para niños. Tenga en cuenta que este evento gratuito depende del clima y podría estar sujeto a cancelación.

Friday, December 8, we invite you to explore the night sky with Noche de Estrellas, in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh, Morehead Planetarium Science Center, Red Global MX, Sigma XI, Raleigh City Hall, Raleigh Astronomy Club, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

This night will feature Star Tours with bilingual astronomy experts, as well as hot cocoa and indoor science activities for kids. Please note that this free event is weather-dependent and could be subject to cancellation.

Carolina Science Cafe | New Frontiers in Hydrology
2023-12-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission: A New Eye in the Sky for Earth’s Water

Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for Carolina Science Cafe, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s free, current science awareness program. For this month, we will be joined by Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky to discuss how his team is verifying data from a new NASA’s SWOT mission that is recording the first global survey of Earth’s water cycle with unprecedented accuracy.

Please note the Carolina Science Cafe will be moving to a new location at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro for the foreseeable future.

In December 2022, NASA and its international partners launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a new satellite that uses radar to measure Earth’s rivers, lakes, and oceans. SWOT’s groundbreaking technology allows us to measure ocean currents, observe floods, and monitor water resources in ways that were previously impossible. In this talk, we will explore some of the first results from SWOT and what they might mean for our understanding of water on our planet.

Designed for adults, this program explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the headlines. The Carolina Science Café will be hosted at Haw River Tab & Table in Carrboro on Tuesday, December 5th, starting at 6:00 p.m. with light appetizers available for all attendees.

About Tamlin:

Tamlin Pavelsky is a professor of global hydrology in the Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of North Carolina. He is also NASA’s Hydrology Science Lead for the recently launched SWOT satellite mission. Tamlin earned his BA in Geography from Middlebury College and a master’s and PhD, also in Geography, from UCLA. He uses satellite imagery, field measurements, and other tools to study the world’s rivers and lakes. Tamlin grew up outside of Fairbanks, Alaska in wood-heated cabins with no electricity or running water.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!
